City creative firms in UK top 50

Three Sheffield organisations are on a national list of ‘up and coming innovators’ as research shows the city’s creative industries contribute £248.12 million to the local economy.

Creative England has compiled a list of 50 organisations, spanning film, TV, gaming and digital media, which have the best ‘talent, ingenuity and ability to turn a bright idea into a commercial success’.

This year’s CE50 includes 10 companies from Yorkshire and the Humber including three from Sheffield.

Also on the list is Sheffield Doc/Fest which has created a ‘must-attend’ annual event for documentary filmmakers and audiences, celebrating the art and business of documentary and all non-fiction storytelling.

In total, Creative England says Sheffield’s creative industries contribute £248.12 million to the local economy and employ 7,230.

Chief executive Caroline Norbury said that despite their contribution small creative firms could struggle to get finance.

She added: “The people and businesses featured in this year’s CE50 are at the very forefront of creativity. Through their work – be it games, film or TV productions, interactive platforms or immersive experiences – they produce the original ideas, the entertaining content and the innovations which make this country truly world-leading in the creative industries.

“According to the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, the UK creative sector contributes £92 billion to the UK economy, yet despite the fact that the creative industries are growing more rapidly than other sectors in nine out of every 10 locations in the UK, they still struggle to get finance.”